Director K V Anand, known for his all round commercial entertainers, is back with Kavan, a chaste Tamil word for the catapult, a simple device used to shoot small targets with precision. True to the title, the director and his team have delivered a product which emerges a winner in almost all respects, hitting the target spot-on.
The attractions for Kavan are the director, the pacy narrative and his ensemble cast that is led by T Rajendar and Vijay Sethupathi. The trailer revealed that the story is woven around the boon and the bane of the powerful and the omnipresent media.
Anand wastes no time in starting his story right from where the credits roll. Media is a double edged sword and Kavan talks about its deep rooted politics for TRP gains and its ramifications. He narrates his take with elements that are informative, engaging and sometimes shocking too.
For Vijay Sethupathi, this is the first release of 2017 and the actor gets to play a different character in Kavan. He brings on to the table his version of Thilak, a socially conscious TV journalist. T Rajendar as Mayilvaaganan adds color to the proceedings and his selection absolutely justifies his role and is definitely not force fitted. Rest of the cast in the form of Pandiarajan, Madonna Sebastian, Jagan, Akashdeep Saigal, Vikranth and others have all delivered their parts perfectly. As the media baron Kalyan, Akashdeep is an apt fit.
The dialogues are sharp and scathing and help the director to convey his thoughts. He throws light on the manner in which reality and award shows are conducted in television. Self-deprecation is another enjoyable feature in Kavan. Anand makes fun of himself, Vijay Sethupathi and Power Star. There is also a fact uttered by Powerstar- "As long you people believe that I am a comedian, my life can run". How true can that be!
Technically, Abinandan’s camera works in tandem with Anand’s vision and renders a colorful film. Hip Hop Thamizha’s tracks are enjoyable and his BGM is worth mentioning. Anthony’s cuts provide a neat product on hand.
It is not an easy task to make a commercial entertainer not compromising on the engaging factor and at the same time giving the audience THAT satisfied feel along with a socially relevant message. K V Anand checks-in all these boxes, establishing once again that he can deliver a fulfilling product in all aspects.